Mark J. Penn (born January 15, 1954), a former pollster, political strategist, and author, was Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Microsoft Corporation. He is leaving to form a private equity firm according to news reports on June 17, 2015.Until July 2012, Penn was the CEO of the public relations firm Burson-Marsteller and president of the polling firm Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates. Penn's clients included political and business leaders, including U.S.